Military and law enforcement personnel have employed armor-enhanced clothing in order to protect their bodies from gunfire, shrapnel, explosive devices and other harmful ballistic objects. Such personnel have further employed armor-enhanced helmets in an effort to block ballistic objects from penetrating traditional helmets and producing injury or grave damage to the head of the wearer. However, prior armor-enhanced helmets are typically heavy and awkward to wear, often causing undue neck fatigue and even injury to the wearer.
The present invention provides a helmet appliqué assembly including a helmet appliqué that is lighter weight, and attachable to an existing helmet to cover one or more areas of an otherwise exposed helmet. The appliqué element of the present invention can be suitably relieved in areas where no ballistic protection is required, or where ballistic protection would otherwise impede certain functions of the helmet and the wearer's desired functional capabilities. The appliqué element of the present invention can comprise various types of material, including, for example, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), aramid fibers, ceramics, polycarbonate, steel or a combination of two or more such materials. The appliqué assembly of the present invention further includes one or more underside attachment member types for attaching the appliqué to a helmet, and can optionally include one or more external-side attachment or connector members for attaching other articles to the outside of the appliqué element. Accordingly, the appliqué system and/or assembly of the present invention increases the protection level of a helmet in a specific area or areas as a mission or threat dictates by allowing the appliqué element to be donned or doffed as needed, and thereby does not require the additional weight of the appliqué element to be permanent.